The present invention is concerned with elevated swivel chairs having foot supports for aiding a user to ascend to a seated position in the chair, and is more particularly concerned with such a chair wherein the seat portion of the chair is automatically locked against swiveling motion when foot pressure is applied to the foot support.
Elevated swivel chairs, e.g., of the type used as work chairs, must be provided with some means for aiding a user of the chair to ascend to the elevated seat without difficulty. When the user is climbing into the chair, moreover, steps must be taken to assure that the seat portion of the chair does not rotate relative to the base portion thereof; and if a foot support is attached to the upper part of the chair in fixed relation thereto, the total unit consisting of the upper part of the chair and such a foot support must not rotate at the time a worker is ascending into the chair if accidents are to be prevented. These considerations necessitate the use of some type of stop device which can be operated at appropriate times during use of the chair. More particularly, if the chair itself is rotatable, such rotation must be prevented when the user is ascending into the chair to assure that the seat portion of the chair is held stationary during the ascent. After the user is seated, moreover, the stop device must be released so that the user can swing the chair into an appropriate working position whereafter the seat portion of the chair must be locked against rotation to assure that the user sits firmly and securely at a desired work position. If the user wishes to leave the chair, a similar process must be performed, but in reverse order. The plurality of operational steps which must thus be performed tend to become a nuisance at times with the result that users of elevated swivel chair suggested heretofore often omit the manipulations necessary for their personal safety, e.g., they choose not to lock the swivel chair against rotation as they ascend into the chair, and this is the cause of many accidents in manufacturing plants using such chairs.
In this latter respect, elevated work chairs of various types have been suggested heretofore. Such chairs are known, for example, wherein the chair is provided with a base or foot plate, and also wherein foot supports are provided that can be varied in distance from the seat surface; and work chairs are also known wherein foot supports are provided that can be swung selectively into horizontal or vertical position. However all of these various elevated work chairs suggested heretofore have the disadvantages described above.
The present invention is intended to solve these problems by providing an elevated work chair of novel design wherein the chair is automatically locked against rotation when a worker is ascending into or descending from the seat portion of the chair, and wherein the locking operation necessary for the safety of workers occurs without the worker being required to operate any special control elements forming portions of the chair.